08/28/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2026
Bush Foundation Grant to Expand Investment in Rural and Native Communities
SISSETON, S.D. — GROW South Dakota has been awarded a $2,315,000 grant from the Bush Foundation to develop an innovative model of addressing the capital needs for housing and economic development through a cross-sector partnership with NeighborWorks Dakota Coalition. The work will increase investment in rural and Native communities across South Dakota and North Dakota.
“Through our Community Innovation program, we look for ideas to develop, test and spread, and the work of GROW South Dakota is a great example,” said Rebecca Cruse, Grantmaking Officer at the Bush Foundation. “They are working with partners to build a model that can provide more flexible financing options to grow housing and small business development in rural and Native communities across South Dakota and North Dakota.”
The NeighborWorks Dakota Coalition is a partnership formed in 2022 to amplify the needs and opportunities of rural and Native communities. Coalition members include: GROW South Dakota (Sisseton, South Dakota); Neighborhood Lending Services (Deadwood, South Dakota); CommunityWorks North Dakota (Mandan, North Dakota); and Lakota Funds (Kyle, South Dakota).
Together, these organizations bring decades of experience in affordable housing, community development, small business lending, financial education, and economic opportunity. Their deep community relationships and shared commitment to advancing the Coalition creates solutions that address long-standing barriers to investment in rural and Native communities.
"This investment represents an exciting opportunity to rethink how we collaborate to better serve rural and Native communities," said Marcia Erickson, CEO of GROW South Dakota. "By bringing together various internal and external partners, we're creating new pathways for investment that can strengthen local economies, increase housing opportunities, and support entrepreneurs across our region. We are incredibly grateful to the Bush Foundation for this opportunity."
Media Contact:
GROW South Dakota
Lori Finnesand
www.growsd.org
[email protected]
GROW South Dakota is a statewide non-profit organization that provides programs and loan products to advance housing, community, and economic development.
